More than just a walk in the park.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 08-03-2015 11:58

Any takers for this stunt chaps?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-33757603

Rob.

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 12:05

What a unique way to celebrate your birthday ... Good on this Gentleman

I think the biplane used is a Boeing Stearman but I could be wrong - it's a two-seater anyway.

**Dan-Sam** · 08-03-2015 12:07

An interesting way how to feed pigeons

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 08-03-2015 12:11

Originally Posted by Aussietonka

I think the biplane used is a Boeing Stearman but I could be wrong - it's a two-seater anyway.

Well spotted Barney.
It says something to that effect somewhere in the blurb.
Rob.

**Ned2** · 08-03-2015 12:14

Wow. Not for me though- I prefer playing with toy biplanes not standing on the wings of real ones!

**Flying Helmut** · 08-03-2015 12:17

Originally Posted by Ned2

Wow. Not for me though- I prefer playing with toy biplanes not standing on the wings of real ones!

Agreed!

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 12:47

I personally would prefer to do this over a skydive ... Problem is with me being 6 ft (180 cms) in height / 16 stone (245 lbs) in weight this would probably disallow me from being able to partake in such a stunt

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 08-03-2015 12:51

Originally Posted by Aussietonka

I personally would prefer to do this over a skydive ... Problem is with me being 6 ft (180 cms) in height / 16 stone (245 lbs) in weight this would probably disallow me from being able to partake in such a stunt

John Weston had to lose 2 stones in weight before attempting the feat, and even then they were worried about the weight of his old WW2 Flying helmet which he wore for the stunt.
Rob.

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 13:09

Probably a Weight and Balance concern being a heavy object at the highest point on the aircraft ... But after one has lost two stone in weight in order to perform a Wing Walk I can imagine how unimpressed he would have been to discover that a flying helmet was of concern. However flying helmets of that genre are normally worn in the cockpit which is much closer to the aircraft's C of G or Centre of Gravity.

Weight = Arm x Momentum: All of which can be very delicately balanced and if interrupted / interfered with in flight the consequences can vary from the mind blowingly interesting to downright fatal. This explains why the regular Crunchie / Utterly Butterly Wing Walkers wear specially designed headgear for their protection instead of bog-standard crash helmets (way too heavy) ...

**Flying Helmut** · 08-03-2015 16:37

I can't believe the weight of a flying helmet had such an effect on whether or not the stunt could go ahead (a head, geddit?).
It strikes me that this is likely just another example of the rubbish standard of reporting these days.

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 17:03

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

(a head, geddit?)

Liking that one very much

Seriously - no word of a lie. Sometimes weight and balance issues can be that delicate they generate some very pernickety issues as a result! This also sounds like a very cumbersome WW2 flying helmet which would also increase the amount of drag being generated by the wing walker's presence which must also be minimised during the flight. So it could be down to either of these reasons being so far upwards the natural C of G of the aircraft is also raised upwards generating a new set of arm / moment figures upon which the basic W & B calculations are made. Like a ship an aircraft can overbalance in flight particularly when performing the sort of stunts which are traditionally associated with wing walkers at air shows. Only aircraft do not have a plimsoll line to adhere to ...

Rather famously Juliet Morris of the BBC went Wing Walking for their coverage of the 1993 RIAT on BBC1 (same RIAT where the two MiG-29As collided as witnessed in person by myself!) During the stunt she was disallowed from wearing a head-camera unit which back in those days was a bit more cumbersome than they are now mounted upon a helmet for weight and balance reasons riding atop of a Boeing Stearman. As a result the footage of her during the stunt was shot from wing-level and though she tried to provide a running commentary of what was going on over 80% of it was barely understandable to completely inaudible.

**Flying Helmut** · 08-03-2015 17:15

The guy was waving his arm in the video - that would generate MUCH more balance disturbance than a heavy hat!

**Tonx** · 08-03-2015 18:07

As I mentioned weight and balance can generate some very pernickety issues surrounding why arm waving and standing with both arms outstretched is allowed by wing walkers despite the airflow disruption particularly associated with the arm waving action above the airframe. Yet introduce a heavy hat or oversized head-gear (like the 1993 example) to this equation and it is deemed too much in terms of both weight and drag ...

A second school of thought introduces the subject of severe or enduring neck-strain being inflicted upon the wearer of anything heavy or bulky on the head: As a result of the drag produced in the aircraft slipstream during the flight. Particularly if like Juliet Morris underwent the aircraft enters acrobatic (which I prefer to refer to as aerobatic) flight with a wing walker atop of it. The g-forces induced in a loop traditionally pull down upon the head and anything upon it whereas the slipstream would always be pulling back upon the head / any headgear being worn. A prolongued dose of this is liable to put an unprepared person into a neck-brace with severe or enduring neck-strain ... This I had not thought of before.

**Stumptonian** · 08-03-2015 20:26

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

Agreed!

Now if they were ships ....

**Archidamus** · 08-04-2015 00:50

Hmmm - wing walking with vertigo - not something I want to try, especially after eating

**Tonx** · 08-04-2015 02:20

Originally Posted by Stumptonian

Now if they were ships ....

Wait For It ...

Until we get it here is a brief clue as to what I refer: Please rearrange to make a popular Aerodrome saying ...

SAILS!!! and NO

Also

to the way wing walking with vertigo has reminded me of a ground school session two years ago when one of the trainee pilots involved made everyone laugh by confidently remarking that 'Vertigo is treatable if you use amphetamines!'

What he meant to say was antihistamines - such as Cetirizine Hydrochloride tablets ... But he made us all

with that one!!!

**grumpybear** · 08-04-2015 03:00

No thanks I prefer to sit in the plane

**Tonx** · 08-05-2015 15:53

Originally Posted by grumpybear

No thanks I prefer to sit in the plane

I am with you on this one - after all we are talking about a ride in a Boeing Stearman which has aerobatic flight capability / approval!

Same sentiments as I have against skydiving ... About why I should ever feel the urge or the need to jump out of a perfectly good aircraft